GEORGIA: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrives in Georgia

Record ID: 594633

  • Title: GEORGIA: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrives in Georgia
  • Date: 4th September 2008
  • Summary: (BN07) TBLISI, GEORGIA (SEPTEMBER 4, 2008) (REUTERS) PLANE TAXING ON RUNWAY GEORGIAN MILITARY UNITED STATES VICE-PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY AND WIFE LYNNE COMING DOWN AIRPLANE STAIRS AND GREETING GEORGIAN OFFICIALS INCLUDING GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER EKATERINE TKESHELASHVILI SECURITY AND PARKED CONVOY CHENEY WALKING TOWARDS CAR SECURITY AND CONVOY CONVOY DEPARTING
  • Embargoed: 19th September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Georgia
  • Country: Georgia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACPP5LLCNWT2NOYSXB2OW5Y03T
  • Story Text: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Georgia on Thursday (September 4) to signal support for its government after Russia crushed Georgian forces in a brief war last month and pushed deep into the ex-Soviet state's territory.
    On a tour of U.S. allies in the region that started on Wednesday (September 3) in Azerbaijan, Cheney landed at Tbilisi airport and later held talks with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
    Cheney, a hawk and one of Moscow's harshest critics, is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit Georgia since Tbilisi tried to retake the breakaway region of South Ossetia by force in early August and was overwhelmed by the Russian military.
    His visit is certain to rile the Kremlin which has accused Washington of fuelling tensions by encouraging Saakashvili, a U.S.-educated lawyer with close ties to the administration of President George W. Bush.
    Cheney was due later on Thursday to head to Ukraine -- like Georgia an ex-Soviet country seeking NATO membership -- before ending his tour in Italy.
    Both Azerbaijan and Georgia are links in the chain of a Western-backed energy corridor bypassing Russia which the West fears could be in jeopardy following the Kremlin's military thrust into Georgia.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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